Two Way Street
by Skylark Evanson
Summary: "We're teammates. Nightwing needs both of us, and we can't let him down. I'll protect you. I will save you. But we aren't friends."


**A/N: Because I have a completely different view of Supermartian these days…**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not busy owning Young Justice.**

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**Two-Way Street**

"Conner!" she hissed, voice annoyed more than angry. "Can't you just relax about this? You're overreacting!"

His words had lowered to a guttural, defensive snarl, much like that of Wolf. "He left you alone in the field even after Nightwing specifically ordered him to stay close to you when Captain Cold was wielding that flamethrower. No one disobeys orders, and no one leaves a teammate behind. It's basics. I learned it in my _programming_."

"Conner," she began, about to scold before he cut her off.

"If La'gaan isn't smart enough to follow orders, he shouldn't be here. Everyone was briefed on the mission, and even if the fire wasn't in his MO, we all know your weakness. We look out for our own, no matter what." His arms folded across his chest, hiding the shield that his chest bore. Superboy's eyes averted, distant and frustrated.

"That's why we're a team," she reminded him lightly, scolding tone now completely forgotten. "You came in and helped me. You took me out of the fire. We're a team. A team saves each other. It's what we do. It's what friends are for."

He let out a clipped laugh, disgust all over his features. And after a moment, he met her gaze almost longingly. "We aren't friends."

A distressed aura captured M'gann until she regained her firm and controlled posture. Brown orbs blazed as she began her own argument. "What do you mean 'We aren't friends'? Of course we're-"

"No." Voice like stone. "We aren't." Eyes cold as steel. "We can't be friends."

Some semblance of tears burned in her eyes. Still, she couldn't get a word in before he was stating his case.

"It's not about the break-up." His lips were a straight line only emphasized by biting words. "It's not about La'gaan, either. It's about you betraying my trust. I was fine with you being a White Martian, I understood that. It's because you played around in my head, and you _hurt_ me." Superboy tore his gaze away. "I _trusted_you, M'gann..."

Silver tears streamed down her cheeks, raindrops upon her sweet face.

"We're teammates. Nightwing needs both of us, and we can't let him down. I'll protect you. I will save you. But we aren't friends." Conner's drive came because other people relied on him. He respected Nightwing on so many levels and would do anything to help his friend and leader. Saving Megan no longer kept him going as it once had. "It's not like it used to be."

"But it can be," she pleaded, her worst fears becoming a dreaded reality. Megan had once feared losing Conner as her one love, but this world was worse than the first, losing his friendship, the first thing she had sought after in him. "I-"

"Teammates." He breathed, knowing that his mind was fixated on this. He wouldn't stand for betrayal. Conner had already felt the sting of the whip too many times: he would never go back. "I will save you, but it's only because you are a life worth saving and because Nightwing trusts me to protect you like he expects you to protect me." Then his gaze turned dark, a bitter tone catching his voice. "And he expects the same of La'gaan. But La'gaan can't-"

"Conner, stop it." Her voice was tainted with anger; teeth clenched, eyes flared. "You shouldn't judge him that way."

"Everything is a two-way street," he said coldly with a narrowed gaze. "Trust. Judgment. Love."

She was crying, words not coming to her lips, heart throbbing painfully against her ribcage.

"Friendship."

She put a hand to her mouth and turned away, a weak attempt to hide her tears. Some inhuman sob passed her lips when she looked back to him, seeing his face like stone, completely serious and void of all emotion.

"We aren't friends, M'gann." Conner turned, heading away. Yet, under his breath, he added, "I'm sorry."

From the shadows of Mount Justice, Nightwing watched on, wondering how they had fallen so far...

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**A/N: Because I don't even think they're friends anymore. The line's been drawn at teammates. So, review?**

**~Sky**


End file.
